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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27706451">meet the famil(ies)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessoftheworlds/pseuds/princessoftheworlds'>princessoftheworlds</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>it's (not) all an act [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Torchwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Meet the Family</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:34:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27706451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessoftheworlds/pseuds/princessoftheworlds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Ianto meet each other's families.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen Cooper/Rhys Williams, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Johnny Davies/Rhiannon Davies, Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>it's (not) all an act [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1927099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>meet the famil(ies)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm kinda eh about this one, but I hope you guys enjoy it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ianto!” Rhiannon cries, acting as if she’s surprised to see Ianto at her door when they’d made plans for tonight’s dinner last week. Her gaze travels tothe expensive bottle of wine inIanto’s arms. Rolling his eyes, he hands it over, and she whistles when she checks the label. “This is a nice surprise, but where’s the bigger one?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t say it too loudly,” says Ianto dryly. “You’ll boost his oversized ego.” He steps aside and allows Jack to poke his head into the doorframe, beaming.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You must be Rhiannon!” Jack says with a tad too much enthusiasm for Ianto’s liking and reaches forward to shake Rhiannon’s hand, her expression amused, eyes bright and curious. “Ianto has told me a lot about you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh?” Rhiannon’s eyes narrow as she turns briefly to Ianto. “And what has my brother been saying about me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mainly that your name is Rhiannon and that you wanted to meet me.” Jack’s grin widens. “Kidding. He’s told me about your monthly dinners and how you so generously supported him in his career.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She badgered me until I gave her tickets to one of my matinees,” grumbles Ianto, but he can see that Rhiannon is beaming, already charmed by Jack and his charisma. Ianto’s secretly grateful and relieved; he hadn’t completely worked out how Rhiannon would react to the news about his new fake boyfriend beside trying to run through all the scenarios in his mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why don’t the two of you come inside?” Rhiannon offers, stepping aside to allow Jack and Ianto entry. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ianto’s eyes narrow. The living room is clean but too neat, almost on his standards of tidiness. Rhiannon appears to have been eagle-eyed in her cleaning, and… <em> is that a fresh coat of paint on the walls? </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How long did you spend cleaning the house?” he murmurs to her, but she elbows him discreetly in the ribs and he hisses quietly, rubbing his sore side. Jack watches them in amusement; they are likely much more audible than they think.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not in front of your boyfriend,” she replies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ianto is robbed of the opportunity to make another witty retort when footsteps come thundering down the stairs, and two curious heads poke their way over the railing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Holy fuck,” blurts out David, sounding every bit a dreamy-eyed seventeen-year-old. “It’s Jack Harkness. In our house.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Language, David,” Rhiannon says sharply, “or I’ll wash your mouth out with soap.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack is preening. Ianto shoots him a warning glance.</p>
<p><br/><br/>“But Mum!” whines fourteen-year-old Mica. “He plays a literal superhero on telly. And he’s in your house.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your Uncle Ianto is famous as well,” Rhiannon says.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, but he doesn’t play a superhero on telly,” David replies before shooting Ianto a wary look. “Sorry, Uncle Ianto. No offense.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, Ianto sighs. “None taken.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mica’s own eyes are wide and considerate. “So the rumors are true,” she realizes. “Uncle Ianto’s actually dating Jack Harkness.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ianto whips his head to Rhiannon. “You didn’t actually tell them?” he asks, aghast. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rhiannon looks sheepish. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Internally, he groans, pressing towards Jack, who is gazing at David and Mica as they gaze back at him. He’s anticipating a lot of questions over dinner from his niece and nephew and is not looking forward to any of it. </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, uh…how long have the two of you been…?” Johnny trails off, squinting between Ianto and Jack from where he’s seated across from them at the dining table. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dating?” presumes Jack cheerfully as he spoons a generous helping of vegetables onto his plate that make Ianto’s eyes go wide. Jack proceeds to shovel a slightly smaller helping onto Ianto’s plate, causing Ianto to glare at him. Rhiannon watches these proceedings like a hawk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, yes, yup,” Johnny says in a way that makes Ianto think that “dating” was - in fact - <em> not </em> the word Johnny had been going to use. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Several months now,” Ianto replies quickly. “We, uh, we actually filmed an interview with Bill Potts about our relationship yesterday. It should have aired last night.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rhiannon blinks in surprise. “Oh. <em> Oh! </em> I missed it.” She looks like she wants to immediately go scramble for the television remote, but thankfully, she doesn’t. “I usually record anything related to Ianto on telly,” she explains to an amused Jack.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, really?” asks Jack, hiding a mischievous grin. “Ianto said that there wasn’t much he had on TV besides a BBC mini-series or two.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s really it, honestly,” Rhiannon adds, “which is why I’m disappointed I missed this interview! Ianto,” - she glares at him - “never mentioned anything to me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sighs. “I was going to tell you, Rhi; I promise that I was.” He winces. “You just found out before I could.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She wags her fork at him, accidentally flinging bits of meat in the air. “Three bloody months I had to wait, and when I found out, it was from online.” Her expression isn’t pleased, and Ianto suspects he’ll be hearing about this until Christmas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Our Ianto must be quite different from your other relationships,” Johnny says, scratching his belly. He must think he’s being quite funny, but Jack pales slightly and pales even more at Johnny’s next words: “He’s not exactly a rockstar, is he?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before Jack can respond, Ianto butts in quickly, “It’s not like Jack is a model either, though he does have the looks for it.” And Jack smirks, but it’s a weak attempt. “We try not to compare each other to our exes, especially when they’re not necessarily worth discussing.” When Johnny attempts to protest: “Jack, why don’t you tell David and Mica what it was like filming all those sci-fi and superhero shows?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Immediately, David and Mica, who had so far been quiet and listening in with rapt eyes, jump in with their numerous questions, and the conversation moves past. Jack shoots Ianto a grateful look, and Ianto smiles in return.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After dinner is wrapped up, Mica is sent to fetch a wobbly-looking iced cake from the kitchen while Rhiannon cracks into the bottle of wine that Jack and Ianto brought. David’s requests for a glass are eventually denied.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, Jack and Ianto end up at the front door again with Rhiannon standing in the doorframe, saying her goodbyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She draws Ianto in for a tight hug before pulling Jack in, but that embrace lasts a lot longer than Ianto’s hug as she begins to whisper into Jack’s ear. Jack nods frequently before stepping away grinning and pressing a kiss to her cheek.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What was that about?” Ianto asks, walking close to Jack’s side, their shoulders brushing, as they head to Ianto’s Audi.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack barks a cheerful laugh. “Rhiannon told me that if I hurt you in any way, I would have hell to pay.” Ianto stares back at Jack with wide, horrified eyes, and Jack bursts out laughing again. “Kidding, kidding. She asked me to take care of you.” His smile becomes soft as he turns to Ianto. “I told her I would.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” Ianto grumbles, secretly touched. “I’m sorry about dinner. That was a disaster.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, it wasn’t!” Jack waves him off. “It was awkward, sure, but it was nice to meet your family. They clearly care about you.” His eyes crinkle. “Besides, now it’s time for you to meet mine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The next weekend, when Jack whips open the front door of his apartment to a well-dressed, wide-eyed Ianto carrying a foil-wrapped casserole tray, he grins toothily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Awww, that’s adorable,” he says, gesturing Ianto inside, “but you didn’t have to bring anything.” He eyes the way the clearly expensive cotton of Ianto’s dress shirt clings to his arm muscles and bites back the flirty comment he wants to make. He doesn’t think it would set Ianto anymore at ease; judging by how dinner with his family went - which Jack doesn’t think was as bad as Ianto keeps claiming, he’s nervous to meet Owen and Tosh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My mother taught me otherwise,” Ianto quips back, placing the tray on Jack’s kitchen counter. “When are your friends getting here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack joins him in the kitchen. “You’re at least half an hour early, so, uh, I’m not sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, huh.” Ianto glances down at his wristwatch. “I could have sworn I was running an hour late, actually.” His brows furrow together. Jack places a steady hand on his shoulder before he can spiral more.</p>
<p><br/><br/>“Relax,” Jack says. “It’s just Owen and Tosh. You’ve already met Gwen and Rhys. It’ll be fine.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ianto rolls his eyes but takes Jack’s advice, allowing his shoulders to slump. He follows Jack out back to the living room. “I suppose.” He takes a seat next to Jack and sighs. “What should we do in the meantime?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We could shag,” Jack offers cheerfully and receives another eyeroll in response. Pity. Jack hadn’t made his suggestion in jest; he’d love to take the Welshman to bed, but everyone - Gwen, Yvonne, and Ianto - seem to think that that would make their arrangement too messy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sit in their usual comfortable silence together, thighs pressed together. Ianto bows his head like a chastised child. Jack’s fingers twitch with the urge to reach for Ianto, to hold Ianto, but he presses them flat to the wool of his trousers. Eventually, he quietly offers the opening line of a familiar story from one of his musicals, and Ianto, gracious Ianto, lets him ramble to fill the silence. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silence is silence, except when it’s with him. Then it’s something more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minutes into his story, there is a swift, singular knock on his door, and Jack teeters his tale about running through the streets of London without a single stitch of clothing to a halt. As he stretches to his feet, he flashes Ianto a warm smile, which Ianto returns. Jack’s heart skips a beat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Jack undoes the lock on his front door and pulls it backwards, he makes eye contact with Owen, standing to Tosh’s left, whose hand had been inches away from the buzzer. Like a belligerent cat, Owen maintains his gaze and still reaches for the buzzer, which sounds harshly throughout the apartment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re such an asshole, Harper,” Jack says affectionately as he steps aside to allow Tosh and Owen entry. He hugs Tosh and presses a kiss to her crown before tugging a reluctant Owen into a hug as well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You could open the door faster, Harkness,” Owen parrots back. “Now where’s the fake boy-toy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“His name is Ianto,” Jack insists, sighing, “and he’s in the living room.” But before Owen can flee to meet Ianto, Tosh thrusts the foil-wrapped container she’s carrying into his arms and instructs him to take it to the kitchen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fine,” Owen says, with just a hint of a lovestruck smile as he gazes at Tosh, “but I’m helping myself to your whisky.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll take a glass of wine,” Tosh calls after him before turning back to Jack. “So.” Her eyebrows are quirked, and she gazes at Jack with undisguised curiosity. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” repeats Jack, albeit a tiny bit nervous. He hopes Tosh doesn’t notice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d called them after the interview had been filmed and explained everything - the entire fake relationship and how Gwen thought it had a good idea. Tosh and Owen had been incredulous and demanded to meet Ianto themselves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you going to take me to meet this fake boyfriend of yours?” teases Tosh kindly, and Jack winces, thinking of poor Ianto just sitting alone in the living room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Ianto sees them drift inside the living room, he springs to his feet and extends a hand for Tosh to shake. “Ianto Jones,” he says incredibly politely. “You must be Toshiko.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tosh exchanges a glance with Jack, and he can already see based on her expression that she’s charmed by him. “Please, call me Tosh! Everyone does.” A beat. “Jack’s told me a lot about you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?” Ianto raises an eyebrow, and Jack grins.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, I was going to brag about my fake boyfriend. His talent, his pretty eyes, <em> that accent. </em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tosh and Ianto both turn their backs on him. Jack thinks they’re going to be great friends. “I actually watched one of your performances of West End a few years back,” she admits. “I thought you were rather brilliant!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ianto blushes adorably. “Oh, thank you,” he replies, and quickly, the two of them are drawn into a rapt conversation about the actual play. Jack tries to follow along, but he’s also peering over their heads to see where Owen is with the alcohol. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, Owen enters the room holding a glass decanter of whisky and a glass of red wine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What took you so long?” asks Jack as Owen arrives next to him. Ianto glances at him curiously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen sips at his whisky, handing the glass of wine to Tosh. “Couldn’t find your bottle opener. Did you reorganize your liquor cabinet again?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack winks at him. “Have to keep you on your toes somehow.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You must be Ianto,” Owen says, nodding towards Ianto. He takes the hand Ianto extends and shakes it, rolling his eyes. “How much is Harkness paying you to pretend to be in love with him?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You must be Owen,” Ianto presumes, sounding unimpressed. “Why? Would you like the job instead?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen barks a startled laugh and then grins. “Oh, I think I might end up liking you, Jones.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ianto, please,” Ianto says but returns the grin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They remain there in the living room chatting briefly, and Jack eventually fetches Ianto and himself their own glasses of whisky. Not much later, Gwen rings the doorbell, apologizing that their car wouldn’t start.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Soon, Jack’s entire family, Ianto included, is seated around his dining table. Ianto’s wrapped dish turns out to be pasta - Jack is sensing a running theme with them - while Tosh’s turns out to be a roast. Rhys has brought an amazing pie straight from his restaurant for dessert, and between all of them, dinner turns out to be delicious. More wine is poured, and conversation and jokes are told, many at Jack’s expense.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn’t mind. Because everything feels warm and inviting and loving, and if Jack’s fingers keep twitching to take hold of Ianto’s hand, he lets them. Wine-drunk and chortling, he reaches out and places a hand on Ianto’s on the table, and Ianto links their fingers together. And Jack feels content.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me on tumblr <a></a><a href="http://princess-of-the-worlds.tumblr.com/">here</a> or on Twitter  <a></a><a href="https://twitter.com/rajkumarinik">here</a>. I tweet and reblog mostly Torchwood with occasionally amusing commentary on nonsense. Please come talk to me and tell me if/how much you like my fic or like ask me about it on tumblr; all my schoolwork has become remote now, and I have limited social interaction. </p>
<p>And if you have any future ideas for this verse or something you'd like to see, drop it in the comments!</p>
<p>No, I quite mean it. I'm trying to plot the rest of this verse ahahahahha. Like literally, anything goes.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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